INGENIEUR
Cross-cutting issues : The HLPDAB has identified cross-cutting issues on food security , climate-smart agriculture , trade facilitation / eliminating market barriers and making the best use of natural resources with the Agricultural Technical Co-operation Working Group ( ATCWG ) and the Policy Partnership on Food Security ( PPFS ). The HLPDAB shall identify and share relevant policy recommendations with both groups with a view to contribute to the preparation of the Food Security Ministerial agenda . The dialogue will also look into possible cross-fora collaboration in conducting APEC projects with relevant fora .
ASEAN is one of the Most Productive Agricultural Baskets in the World - ASEAN
ASEAN is one of the most productive agricultural baskets in the world . In 2012 , the region produced 129 million tons of rice , 40 million tons of corn , 171 million tons of sugarcane , 1.44 million tons of soybean , and 70.34 million tons of cassava . Rice production this year is forecast to increase by 3 % to 132.87 million tons .
Rice exports , domestic utilisation , and selfsufficiency ratio are all expected to increase in 2013 . ASEAN is likely to increase exports to 18.28 million tons . While domestic utilisation is projected to increase to 114.57 million from 113.04 million tons in 2012 , self-sufficiency ( production to domestic utilisation ) ratio is still assured at 116 %.
No boundaries Despite being leading producers of staple crops and food , most ASEAN countries are yet to reach their production boundaries . Investors , leveraging on the region ’ s balanced climate , fertile lands , and mix of lowlands and uplands , forests , rivers , and coastlines , are likely to find opportunities not just in crop and livestock production but also in managing food supply chain , agriculture infrastructure and safety , and agribusiness .
Investment space are expanding in terms of providing needed infrastructure to increase and climate-change-proof crop production , professionalising and systematising small-scale food processing , driving high-tech agribusiness , and other activities along the value chain .
Growth drivers Optimism is high on the growth of the agriculture sector in the region . The ASEAN region is home to around 600 million people while its main food markets , East Asia and South Asia , have populations of 1.6 billion people and around 1 billion people , respectively . A large chunk of these populations form part of the growing middle class with increased buying capacity and changing preference from food staples to high-value food , organic or processed .
ASEAN can act as the supply base for its larger neighbours . The region ’ s proximity to world powers like China and Japan puts it in a very good position for supplying food and other perishable goods . As the region itself continues to rise together with Asia ’ s economic growth , intra-market trade of goods is also expected to rise .
Towards regional integration The agricultural sector is off to reach its target for the ASEAN Economic Community in 2015 through increased efforts to ease trade between member states , allowing faster movement of perishable goods across long distances . The plan is to develop niche-based agriculture , and support it with reduction of trade barriers and construction of needed infrastructure .
Myanmar , Thailand , Laos , and Cambodia of the Great Mekong Sub-region have emphasis on internal transportation routes to facilitate movement of agricultural and food supply . For instance , the Ital- Thai company is looking at a USD48 billion deep-sea port and special economic zone project in Dawei ( Tavoy ) that will ease the trade of goods from the east directly to the Indian Ocean .
In the Brunei-Malaysia-Indonesia-Philippines ( BIMP ) growth area , physical integration is as important . The Philippines , Mindanao in particular , offers perfect agro-economic conditions and several ideal areas for a wide range of crops . Brunei , Indonesia , and Malaysia stand out as producers of industrial crops .
Region-wide , priority is given to the ASEAN Highway Network which involves the upgrading of below Class III roads in designated Transit Transport Routes , and the completion of the Singapore- Kunming Rail Link , which is intended to link seven ASEAN countries ( Singapore , Malaysia , Thailand , Cambodia , Vietnam , Myanmar , and Laos ) to China .
48 VOL 84 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2020